New Study Says Red Wine Compound Has Potential to Fight Mesothelioma

Studies show that certain components in red wine such as polyphenols and resveratrol can do everything from protect the heart to control blood sugar. Some studies say red wine could also help fight a number of cancers such as leukemia, breast, skin, and prostate cancer. Now, a new suggests that red wine could even help fight malignant mesothelioma (MM).

In a study published in the journal Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy, researchers say emerging evidence indicates dietary phytochemicals such as resveratrol, curcumin, capsaicin, quercetin, and pterostilbene (also found in red wine) can exert anti-cancer activities by regulating microRNA expression. Though “a large number of dietary phytochemicals still remain to be tested,” says the study, the phytochemicals covered here “have shown microRNA regulatory activities in various cancers and could regulate MM microRNAs.”

“Until now only one dietary phytochemical (ursolic acid) has been reported to have malignant mesothelioma (MM) microRNA regulatory ability.” Ursolic acid is found in many herbs, plants and fruits such as apples, cranberries, holy basil, lavender, pears, oregano, prunes, peppermint, rosemary, and thyme.

The study also discovered that in addition to microRNA regulatory activities, the phytochemicals covered in the research, including resveratrol and pterostilbene, among others, “have the potential to inhibit cancer by regulating the expression of various genes, which are also known to be aberrant in malignant mesothelioma.”

Another study found that, when combined with resveratrol, the chemotherapy drug cisplatin induced MM cell death. Per the study, “the combination treatment of cisplatin and resveratrol (CDDP/RSV) synergistically induced apoptosis (programmed cell death), as evidenced by typical cell morphological changes, the appearance of sub-G0/G1 peak, an increase in the Annexin V(+) cells and the cleavage of caspase-3 and PARP.”

It is important to note that red wine isn’t the only source of resveratrol. It can also be found in alcohol-free sources such as plain red grapes (they don’t have to be fermented to contain resveratrol), blueberries, cranberries, dark chocolate, peanuts and peanut butter, and pistachios.

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, talk to your doctor about the potential benefits of phytochemicals such as resveratrol. Emerging therapies such as this could help manage your specific type of mesothelioma.